Kessel lifts Pens to OT victory

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

Phil Kessel scored 41 seconds into overtime to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

Chris Kunitz had the other goal for Pittsburgh, which won for the fourth time in five games.

James Neal scored for Nashville, which lost at home for the first time this season.

Less than a minute into overtime, Kessel took the puck toward the Nashville net on the left side. His first shot was denied by Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne, but he was able to tap the rebound in for the win.

Rinne finished with 23 saves.

Kunitz scored the game’s first goal with 4:56 left in the second period.

Just after being released from the penalty box after serving a tripping penalty, Evgeni Malkin carried the puck into the Nashville zone on the left side. He left the puck for Kunitz at the top of the circle, where he sent a slap shot past Rinne on the far side.

Nashville had scored first in each of their previous seven games this season.

Neal tied it with 8:33 left in the third. With a delayed penalty coming to the Penguins and an extra attacker on for the Predators, Neal beat Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury with a tough angle shot from goal line on the right side into the far corner of the net.

Fleury finished with 37 saves.

Neal, a former Penguin, leads Nashville with six goals. It was his first goal against the Penguins, and he has now scored a goal against all 30 NHL teams.

The Predators have lost four consecutive home games against Pittsburgh since last beating the Penguins on Jan. 8, 2009.

Notes

Nashville C Calle Jarnkrok missed the game with an illness. His spot in the lineup was taken by LW Viktor Arvidsson, who was recalled from Milwaukee of the AHL. ... Neal has a five-game point-scoring streak. ... Kunitz has 22 points in 22 games played against Nashville in his career.